


Crashed Into My Orbit

by Medu_Nefer



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: First Meetings, Kid Rayla, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-05 18:15:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18371456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medu_Nefer/pseuds/Medu_Nefer
Summary: Fire Fesitval is a joyous event elves of all primals enjoy. One day, Runaan takes his little niece Rayla with him so they can spend some time together, have fun and get something pretty.And it just so happens that the prettiest trinkets are made by a particular (very single) elf.





	Crashed Into My Orbit

**Author's Note:**

> This story has very little to do with my actual TDP headcanons, but I had this silly idea and there's still not enough fanfiction about Runaan and Tinker (yes, I know Tinker hasn't even appeared yet, shh), so I decided to just go with it and get some practise with shorter works.
> 
> With that being said, the quality is far from what I wanted, but for now I'm gonna leave it at that.
> 
> Enjoy the read!

'All right, get ready to dispatch.'

'Yes, Sir.'

'On my mark. One, two, three, go.'

Runaan's hands latched onto the little elf perched on his shoulders, swung her well above his horns with practiced ease and brought her to the ground. The little elfling bolted as soon as her feet touched the ground, her wild battle cry turning into a fit of giggles as the distance between the two increased.

'Don't go too far, Rayla!' Runaan cried after her, watching the little girl with a soft, loving smile.

When he saw her run up to a group of Sunfire elflings playing with two Moon Phoenix chicks, he diverted his attention to their surroundings. The town was buzzying with life and energy and the usual hubbub of the Fire Festival got to him almost instantly. There were Elves everywhere, talking, laughing, playing, eating or bartering. While Runaan wasn't big on crowds other than his village society on regular basis, those festivities didn't bother him. Quite the opposite, in fact - he really enjoyed them, he enjoyed meeting people and revelled in the camaraderie - and even more so if Rayla was there with him.

He had been asked to take her to the nearby primarily Sunfire town so she could have some fun. Their village was wonderful but quite static and not overly exciting for younglings, so trips like this one were precious to her. And he cherished every moment he got to spend with her.

Runaan was walking down an aisle made up of booths and stalls, eyeing the products and seeking anything worth trading. It wasn't often that he got to shop for trinkets, especially with his recent advancement in the assassin ranks. Soon, his schelude would more or less go back to normal but for now, he was running low on time for anything other than training.

And so, he examined beautifully crafted hair accessories, animal figurines carved from lava, various home decorations. He exchanged pleasantries, chatted about differences between arcanums, got a small stuffed Nebula Dragon for Rayla in exchange for a tip of a broken arrow, splendid and precious to a collector but useless to a living assassin.

Every once in a while he glanced around to locate Rayla. The little girl played with other elflings, looked at the displayed items or asked grown-ups some really difficult questions, as she often did. As per usual, she was free to roam the nearby area but reminded mindful of staying within Runaan's sight. After one fateful time when she wandered too far, she never repeated that mistake. She hadn't been too scared herself but she hated seeing Runaan cry and she didn't want him to worry so much ever again.

It didn't stop her from exploring, though. She knew how to handle herself despite being very young, and they both knew that. She wouldn't do anything stupid but she wouldn't stay put for no apparent reason either.

And so she ran around excitedly, taking everything in. She loved going to places like this. Full of life, full of energy and noise. She wished her parents were there too, but it was okay that they couldn't.

By the time she got tired, she had been to almost of the gaming stations, eaten dinner and wandered into a wide aisle of booths. Her attention was captured by pretty ribbons and fabrics, by shiny metals and sparkling gems. None of them were interesting enough for her to stop by for more than a minute, until she saw a stall with a different type of trinkets.

Rayla quickly ran up to it and stared in wonder at the items displayed in front of her. There were necklaces, brooches, rings, horn guards, earrings... everything really pretty and very intriguing.

She leaned over the low table and tapped one finger against a bracelet, watching how light reflected off of different facets of multi-coloured gems inserted into the metal. The precious stones looked like they emerged from the metal band naturally, rather than being put there on purpose with the use of countless tools she didn't even know the names of.

Suddenly, someone stood in front of her and Rayla looked up. A tall Sunfire Elf was watching her with a smile, clearly happy with the way her eyes lit up at the sight of the jewelery. He had dark brown hair, very messy in her opinion, and nice amber eyes. His skin wasn't as dark as most of his kin. Rayla thought he was nice to look at.

'Hello, little one,' he greeted and rested his forearms on the counter so they'd be on a similar eye-level. 'What do you think of those?'

Rayla looked at the trinkets again and hummed thoughtfully. 'They're pretty,' she said finally.

The elf laughed and grinned at her. 'Thank you. I put a lot of effort into making them. I'm glad you like them. Which one do you like best?'

Now that was a tough question. Rayla blew out her cheeks and tilted her head to one side. Then, she leaned in closer to examine the items, tapped them and watched how they reacted to being moved. At some point, she touched a big precious stone on one of the bracelets and it changed colour from light blue to pinkish purple. Her mouth hung open and she repeated the motion. When the colours shifted again, she laughed and clapped her hands.

'That one's my favourite!' she exclaimed and pointed at the bracelet. The Elf hummed and reached for it.

'Do you want to try it on?' he asked. When she cried excitedly and reached her hand out to him, he helped her put it on. Meanwhile, he looked around for a while, then frowned. 'Do you know where you are?'

Rayla looked up, slightly alarmed, glanced around and relaxed visibly. She nodded and focused on the bracelet once again.

'We're staying at a friend's house, near the Square of Ashes. I know where I am,' she murmured, poking at the leather strings.

The elf's frown deepened. 'Are you sure? Can you see your parents? If not, don't worry, I can help you find them.'

Rayla pointed with her free hand, barely even looking. 'Here.'

The elf looked in the proper direction and froze. A tall, slim Moonshadow Elf stood nearby, watching one of the performers (a puppeteer, probably) with his arms crossed over his chest. His blue eyes would scan the area around him every once and then, and a small frown would appear on his forehead as if he couldn't find the thing he was looking for. His long braided white hair swayed lazily in the faint breeze.

After a moment, the craftsman's breathing returned and he felt himself blush. He dropped his gaze and saw the little elfling, clearly besotted with his creation. He bit his lip and drummed his fingers on the tabletop, and the next thing he knew, he was already speaking to the girl.

'What's your name, little one?'

'Rayla.'

'That's a very beautiful name, Rayla. Does your dad know you're here?'

The girl hesitated, then shrugged. 'He had to stay at home. I came with my uncle.'

'Your uncle? Okay. Don't you think he might be worried about you? Your aunt surely is.'

'I don't have an aunt.'

'Well then. The other uncle.'

Rayla frowned, attention still on the bracelet. 'There's only uncle Runaan.'

'Okay. Okay.' The craftsman felt his face doing something weird and blushed even more. He cleared his throat and fidgeted with the hem of his vest. He looked at Rayla, then at her uncle - _Runaan; by the Sun, what a name_ \- and then back at her. 'Would you like to have this bracelet?'

Rayla's mouth opened and she stared at him. Then she nodded carefully. 'Yes,' she admitted. 'But I don't have anything to trade.'

'That's okay, little one.' The Elf squatted next to her. 'I'll ask you a question, you'll give me an answer, and it's yours. How about that?'

Rayla seemed thrilled and she bounced on her feet.

'Okay. Can you look at the things I brought for a second, please?' He paused and took a deep breath, steeling his resolve. 'How do you think, which one would your uncle like?'

Rayla's eyes gleamed at the task before her. Her forehead creased as she thought, examining the trinkets even more meticulously than earlier. Finally, she pointed at one of the necklaces, not overly intricate but with carvings that had taken some time, along with streaks of different shades of the metal, and incorporating pieces of wood.

'All right.' The elf picked the necklace up and handed it to Rayla. 'I think it's only fair that you both get something pretty today, right?'

'I think so.'

'Does he like surprises?'

Rayla's eyes gleamed and she made a conspiratorial face as she nodded.

'Then how about you give it to him as a surprise gift?'

The elfling's lips spread in a wide smile and  she all but pelted towards her uncle, yelling an absolutely adorable "Thank you so much, mister craftsman!" over her shoulder.

Rayla was so excited. Runaan loved getting new and shiny things, didn't he? Her Mom had given him a beautiful brush for one of his birthdays and he kept thanking her for the entire day. Just a few full moons ago, her Dad got matching belt clasps for the two of them and Runaan looked so very happy.

She almost ran into him, coming to a stop by latching onto his leg and almost bringing him to the ground, but he quickly regained his balance and looked down at her with wide eyes. Then, he picked her up and settled her on his hip.

'I was getting a little worried there,' he said, frowning a little. 'I couldn't see you.'

'Well, _I_ could see _you!'_ she said and butted him in the chest playfully, making him laugh.

'Okay, okay, I yield! Cease your attack, mighty warrior!'

Rayla's sweet giggles had him smiling with affection. Suddenly, he was leaning down and pressing their foreheads together. She accepted his affection with another wave of giggles but after a moment, suddenly, she jerked back, almost falling out of his grasp, and grinned. She was holding something behind her back and Runaan felt an odd wave of trepidation.

'Look what I've got!' she cried and her arm shot out towards his face, almost smacking him. 'Do you like it?'

He eyed the bracelet gracing her wrist and nodded slowly. 'It's very pretty—'

'Touch it!'

Runaan's eyebrows rose when he followed Rayla's instruction and the colours changed before his eyes. 'That is amazing. But Rayla—'

Once again, he wouldn't be allowed to finish. He had to jerk his head back again when her other hand shot out towards him. He looked, cross-eyed, at the thing dangling from Rayla's little fingers, way too close to his face.

'Surprise!'

'It—'

'Do you like it? It's for you!'

Runaan's eyebrows rose in surprise. 'For me?' He took the necklace from Rayla and looked at it from a distance to actually see something. And that something was beautiful carvings and craftmanship one rarely saw. It was absolutely beautiful and his eyes welled with tears. 'I— Thank you, Rayla. It's beautiful. Where did you get it from?'

The girl pointed at a stall where an Earthblood Elf stood, trading with the owner. Right.

Runaan let Rayla hop onto the ground and put the necklace on, making her beam at him in self-satisfaction. He led her to a nearby bench, got her a treat and a cup of moonberry juice. Then he told her to watch the performers because he had heard there would be dancers and mages - whom she absolutely loved. He stroked the top of her head, watching her with adoration as she glued her eyes to the scene, before walking away towards the stall with trinkets. He reached into the bag with goods he'd brought for barter, hoping it would be enough.

When he approached, the Earthblood customer was still there, so he stood a little to the side, glancing at the jewelery. Each and every piece was absolutely gorgeous. Gorgeous and undoubtedly pricey.

Finally, the other elf left and Runaan could finally talk to the owner. But when he lifted his eyes, his throat constricted.

He was looking at a mixed blood, no doubt about it. He was also looking at undoubtedly the most beautiful elf he had ever seen.

After a while of stunned silence, he cleared his throat and came back to his senses. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating the more or less accurate direction of where Rayla sat.

'Hi, I'm with the little girl.' How eloquent.

The elf gave him a dazzling smile. 'Yes, Rayla. She mentioned you.' His eyes flicked to the necklace resting on his chest, then slid back up again. Runaan felt the tips of his ears reddening under that gaze. 'How can I help you?'

'I— uh. I mean, she didn't have anything for barter, so I figured this is where I take over.'

Another smile. 'I guess.' His eyes went back to the necklace and quickly returned to his eyes. 'She chose well, didn't she? It definitely matches your eyes.'

Runaan grew hot. 'I do love it. It's absolutely stunning.'

'Thank you.' Now the other elf dropped his gaze and Runaan could admire the unusual pale colour of his horns and the gorgeous guards he wore.

'So, uh... About our purchase...'

He had to speak louder because the other clearly hadn't heard him.

'Can you cook?'

'I— Yeah. Yeah, I can.'

The mixed blood nodded slowly, eyes glued to Runaan's face.

With no small effort, Runaan tore his own eyes away to glance into his bag. 'So, I have—'

'I'm fine with dinner tomorrow.'

Runaan's heart skipped a beat. He had misheard, hadn't he?

Slowly, he lifted his eyes and took in the other's reddened face, the way he bit his lower lip.

'We're staying at a—'

'I know.'

Runaan's eyes made to flit to Rayla but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the other for as long as it would take to look at her.

Eventually, he managed a nod. 'Okay. Yes, okay. Dinner's great. Dinner's wonderful.'

They were nodding at each other like idiots but who cared?

'I can prepare something to take outside. So, tomorrow at...?'

'I'm not sure when I'll be done. I'll find you.'

'Okay.'

'Okay.'

Runaan stared into the other's amber eyes and swore he was being used magic on. What kind, he had no idea. But it couldn't be just him, right? He had never reacted to another elf like this, like... like his brain had melted and was oozing through his ears.

And now the two of them were staring at each other, speechless and absolutely spellbound.

'Runaan! Dancers!' Rayla's excited cry brought them back to reality.

Runaan gave a little smile and took a step back. 'I'll see you tomorrow, uh...'

The other elf smirked mischievously. 'You can call me Tinker.'

'Tinker. All right. See you tomorrow, Tinker.'

'Can't wait, Runaan.'

The assassin turned swiftly on his heel and walked away hastily, the way his name rolled off the other's tongue sending waves of heat down his spine. He couldn't help glancing over his shoulder and their eyes met again. Blush crept over their faces instantly and they looked away.

Runaan definitely didn't steal glances throughout the successive performances. Obviously. Why would he?

Neither did Tinker. Of course not. No way.

The only reason their eyes kept meeting was... Uh, well, there was no reason at all. It was coincidence. What else could it possibly be?

...By the Moon, he was in so much trouble.

**Author's Note:**

> Tinker on the outside: Dinner's fine, you walking wonder of an elf ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
> Tinker on the inside: WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING
> 
> *~*~*
> 
> Who would win:  
> 1\. many years of rigorous assassin training requiring stoicism and absolute control of one's self,  
> 2\. one cute elf.
> 
>  
> 
> No, but I have such a clear vision of Tinker, of what he is and looks like (I have tried to colour one of the images of him and [here](https://medu-nefer.tumblr.com/post/182765720311/a-lil-concept-for-our-tinker-boy) is what I came up with, if anyone's interested). Idk what I'll do when it turns out he's completely different. Oops XD


End file.
